Canadian Fisheries &
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Canadian FISHERIES & A Sector Strategy led by Genome AQUACULTURE Atlantic and Genome British Columbia, with support from regional Genome Centres across Canada How genomics can address and funded by Genome Canada. sector challenges August 2013 Genomics* is the science that aims to decipher Genome Canada and the six regional Genome Centres and understand the entire genetic information of across the country are working to harness the transfor- an organism (i.e. microorganisms, plants, animals mative power of genomics to deliver social and and humans) encoded in DNA and corresponding economic benefits to Canadians. complements such as RNA, proteins and metabolites. This paper is one in a series of four sector strategies The knowledge and innovations emerging from funded by Genome Canada and co-led by the Genome this field are finding solutions to complex biological Centres. They include: Agri-Food, Energy and Mining, challenges, while at the same time raising questions Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Forestry. Each strategy, of societal and economic importance. developed in consultation with sector stakeholders, maps out how the sector can further leverage the Genomics has already brought huge economic and transformative power of genomics, and related disci- societal gains to Canadians through better healthcare, plines, to its advantage. improving food quality, safety and production and protecting our environment and natural resources. Given Canada’s footprint in these key natural resource sectors, the time is ripe for our industries to take full Looking ahead, genomics will be the foundation of advantage of the power and promise of genomics. Canada's growing bio-economy (all economic activity derived from life science-based research), which is *Broadly speaking, our definition of genomics includes estimated to be responsible for some 2.25 per cent related disciplines such as bioinformatics, epigenomics, of GDP, or about $38 billion, by 2017. metabolomics, metagenomics, nutrigenomics, pharma- cogenomics, proteomics and transcriptomics. Increasingly, genomics is equipping a range of Canadian industries—agriculture, energy, mining, forestry, fisheries For more information, visit and aquaculture and health, among others—with cutting- www.genomecanada.ca/en/sectorstrategies edge science and technologies. This is driving growth, productivity, commercialization and global competitive- ness, while finding solutions to environmental sustainability problems. Prepared by David H. Millar, Haisley Millar Consulting Group, Inc. Published by Genome Canada, 2013 ©Genome Atlantic and Genome British Columbia 2013 This document, in whole or in part may be reproduced for individual use without permission provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction in whole or in part for purposes of resale or redistribution, however, requires prior written permission from Genome Atlantic or Genome British Columbia. Cette publication est aussi disponible en français. Genome Canada would like to thank the Government of Canada for its continued support. TaBLE OF CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................2 2. The Importance of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector to the Canadian Economy ...........4 2.1 Commercial Fisheries .............................................................................................................................................................................4 2.2 Recreational Fisheries ...........................................................................................................................................................................6 3. Challenges in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector ...............................................................................7 3.1 Common Challenges ..............................................................................................................................................................................7 3.2 Challenges for Commercial Fisheries .......................................................................................................................................8 3.3 Challenges in Aquaculture .................................................................................................................................................................9 3.4 Challenges For Recreational Fisheries .................................................................................................................................10 4.The Role of Genomics in Mitigating the Challenges and Creating the Opportunities ...........11 4.1 Expanding Fish Genomics Knowledge and its Use ...................................................................................................11 4.2 Food Production.......................................................................................................................................................................................11 4.3 Fish Health ...................................................................................................................................................................................................12 4.4 Conservation and Population Genomics .............................................................................................................................12 4.5 Ecosystem Integrity ...............................................................................................................................................................................13 4.6 Social Licence ...........................................................................................................................................................................................14 5. Canada’s Leadership and Strengths .............................................................................................................. 15 5.1 Canada’s Investment ............................................................................................................................................................................15 5.2 Canada’s Leadership ...........................................................................................................................................................................16 6. Success of Past Canadian Investments in Fisheries & Aquaculture Genomics ......................17 7. The Socio-Economic Impact of Successful Genomics Enabled Solutions ............................... 20 7.1 Commercial Fisheries ...........................................................................................................................................................................20 7.2 Recreational Fisheries .........................................................................................................................................................................21 8. Next Steps Toward Success ............................................................................................................................... 22 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2012–2013 key stakeholders across Canada were Fisheries and aquaculture is a global sector of strategic consulted as to the challenges and genomics opportuni- importance to Canada. Capture fisheries and aquaculture ties for the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Individuals supplied the world with about 148 million tonnes (Mt) of representing industry, government, and academia were fish and fish protein in 2010 valued at $217.5 billion. contacted, and invited to participate in a national Of this, global capture fisheries contributed about workshop, entitled Canadian Fisheries and Aqua- 90Mt and farmed fish production around 60Mt. Capture culture: A Strategy to Increase Competitiveness fisheries has, in all likelihood, reached its maximum and Sustainability through the Application of global limit, and over 70 percent of the world’s marine Genomics, held on April 11–12, 2013 in Toronto. stocks or species groups are either fully-exploited, The event was hosted by Genome Atlantic and Genome over-exploited or are depleted/recovering stocks.3, 4 It BC with support from Genome Canada and other is generally agreed that the global marine system is Genome Centres. Prior to the workshop, participants overstressed, experiencing a reduction in biodiversity were provided with a copy of a Draft Genomics Sector and is anthropogenically challenged. Its major chal- Strategy Paper, which was based on the extensive lenge and focus are conservation and sustainable consultation and research process that took place marine biodiversity. Global farmed fish production is during 2012–2013. growing at 6.3 percent per year and priorities are increasingly being directed to achieving efficient, “Genomics—a vital link in the future success safe (most farmed fish is for human consumption), of Canadian fisheries and aquaculture” high-quality, and economic food protein production The application of genomics1 has the potential to provide that has minimal impact on the ecosystems with Canada’s commercial2 and non-commercial fisheries with which it interfaces. the tools to support strong, competitive growth based on Canada has 25 percent (243,000 km) of the world’s product quality and security, technological